Rings
by Angry Mushroom
Summary: As the title likely has you assuming, it's about Tony and Bruce's relationship. Mostly told from Bruce's point of view and how he has one "small" problem with his ring. Tony comes home with the solution, but not before Bruce can't take it anymore and Hulk's out. Contains lots of fluff and feels I'm told. I hope you like anyway.


_**Rings **_

Random one shot (Yes? No? It's a SHORT story either way. 8|)

*Stanner warning* (If shipping isn't your thing, I suggest a different story.)

This is my _first_ shipping story. You'll probably be able to tell as I don't have much experience or talent with writing.

**Summery**: As the title likely has you assuming, it's about Tony and Bruce's relationship. Mostly told from Bruce's point of view and how he has one "small" problem with his ring. Tony comes home with the solution, but not before Bruce can't take it anymore and Hulk's out. Contains lots of fluff and feels I'm told. I hope you like anyway.

Bruce's brows furrowed as he fumbled with his notes and the chemicals he had so carelessly spilled all over them. Nothing was going right for him today. Not a lot ever really did, but that was all before. Before meeting Tony. The man who openly... the ONLY man to openly shake the scientist's hand, look him dead in the eye, and tell him he wasn't afraid. That he actually thought the Hulk is... well. 'Neat' for loss of better words.

His life changed that day. Tony had become his friend. Over time, the greatest friend he'd ever known or could ask for. They even eventually decided to make a live-in space for Bruce at Stark Tower so he could actually live with his work. He and Tony were always in the lab working on something anyway, so why not. Bruce at that point was a friend and co-worker. And to soon after, a shoulder to lean on when Pepper was in a terrible accident. One that cost her her life.

Stark wasn't the same after that for a while. He'd lost his sense of humor. Drank heavily. ...Or a lot heavier than usual anyway. It was hard on Bruce seeing his best friend like this. And often times Tony would go into a drunken rage and try to throw Bruce out before something happened to him too, for Tony was becoming convinced he was jinxed as he kept loosing those he cared about. But Bruce never budged. Never left Tony's side. And at the end of the night, as morning's rays stung their eyes, Bruce would be holding a sobbing Tony until the heartbroken man would pass out from exhaustion in his arms. At these times, Bruce felt something. More and more each time. Holding his friend to his chest as he stroked his hair in a comforting gesture, he felt... complete. As if Tony was filling in a part of him that was missing. Of course he never said so, especially when Tony was still mourning, but he often thought about what Tony would say if he did.

He never needed to though. After what felt like Tony's hundredth drunken fit, Bruce suddenly fell victim to an out of the blue liplock. Tony didn't explain or try anything further, but instead blacked out and collapsed once again into the safety of Bruce's arms.

Some odd months later, Tony was his old self again. Laughing, snarky, sarcastic. Bruce couldn't have been happier. Then the day came that's only about a week or so before Bruce is frustratingly cleaning up his small chemical spill, when Tony pulled out a simple yet elegantly gleaming gold ring.

Bruce threw the mangled rag he was using to clean up his mess aside, and pulled the ring out of his right pocket. Shortly after Tony had asked, Bruce had gotten him one as well. One that Tony wore on his finger with pride. Bruce said he didn't want to wear his until Tony had one to match for he didn't feel they'd be equals. And now that they both had one, a sudden thought arose and haunted Bruce's mind.

He had fair control over his transformations, but when it came to pain, be it physical or extreme emotional, there was little to no chance he'd be able to hold the Hulk back. And if that were to happen... his band. His beautiful band... would be lost or even worse, destroyed. He kept it on him always in his pocket, but even then, he didn't feel it completely safe. Once in a rare while after going into a big green rage, he would find himself pants less. He could also lose his ring then.

Thinking too much on the problem and not a solution, he stuffed the ring back in his pocket and decided to get some air. Or at least air that didn't reek of lab chemicals. Pulling his door open and walking to the elevator, he decided to go to the roof for a bit. Completely unaware Tony had returned to the tower that very moment from a conference. ...That he ended up skipping, to get the solution for their problem.

"Hey, JARVIS, is Bruce still in his lab?"

"No, sir."

"...Then where is he?"

"He asked not to be disturbed."

"He'll want to be when he sees what I got." Tony argued holding a small bag in his left hand tighter. 'How he thought I wouldn't notice is beyond me.'

"He sounded rather upset, sir. I think it best he have some time to himself."

"JARVIS..." Tony said in a tone as if trying to get the truth from a child. But the artificial intelligence refused to reply. "Fine." Tony muttered in defeat, shifting the bag to opposite hand. "I need a shower anyway, and he'll come out eventually."

Some odd minutes later, JARVIS addressed Tony as the genius billionaire was drying his hair, wearing nothing but deep purple boxers. "Sir, there's a small problem on the top floor."

"What kind of problem?" Tony questioned picking up his pants and starting to put them on.

"Actually, sir, it's rather big. And green."

Tony hesitated in mid-button. "Oh, boy." Almost as if on cue, a large crash above sounded above his head, followed by several more. Tony finished fastening his pants quickly and ran for the elevator. he neglected his suit, hoping he wasn't making a mistake, but having enough faith in his partner that he easily reassured himself that he would be fine. But if Bruce had turned out of rage, and the crash made him suspect that was the case, then chances are he- the Hulk could be unpredictable.

The elevator dinged top floor and Tony stepped out. A large form stood with his back to him only a few feet away, blocking the sun so that the rage monster stood in silhouette before him.

"Hey, buddy." He walked around Hulk slowly, eyeing the floor's damage. Some broken glass and concrete, but this area has seen that before. And also from the same culprit. "Why you like to smash up my place, huh?"

Breathing heavily, the big guy turned his head slowly to Tony. Eyes wondering the smaller man's body as if searching for something.

Bruce had obviously turned out of anger. He was doing fine until he thought of Tony getting to wear his ring. He told himself many times to calm down and just not think about it. But no matter what he'd tell himself or do, he just couldn't get his mind to shut up. Next thing he knew, he was literally lost inside himself. The Hulk had emerged, angry as always, and put a few new craters into the floor. This time with just his fists.

When Tony came up, he had calmed enough to be rational, but something about the puny man seemed off. Bright green eyes searched Tony's body as if seeing him for the first time. Then he stopped at his hand. A burning anger started to build from somewhere within him once more, and he grabbed Stark around the chest like a ragdoll and pinned him to the closest wall.

Tony gasped as the air was knocked from his lungs upon the impact of his back to the hard wall. "What's the idea, Big Guy?" He questioned as calmly as he could.

"Ring missing." The Hulk replied in his deep tone. He wasn't sure why this bothered him, but he knew it bothered Bruce. He knew because he felt it. Felt that Bruce somehow knew. And the ring missing completely left the small man inside feeling emptier than Tony wearing his ring and Bruce without his.

The grip on the iron-less man's chest grew tighter, and he almost looked fearful as he wrapped both hands around the Hulk's one that held him up. "I can explain that. I just need to get to my pockets."

As afraid as he should be, Tony's grip around the Hulk's wasn't even tight as if he was fighting. His tone. His eyes. His breathing. Everything about the man was calm and trusting. Unsure how to react, the Hulk exhaled a growl and slowly lowered Stark to the ground.

After the rage monster set him down and stepped back a bit, Tony reached for his right pocket. Not breaking eye contact with the Hulk, he pulled out a gold chain that bore the silver ring Bruce had given him, and put it around his neck. The other guy tilted his head as if confused or waiting, and that's when Stark reached into his left pocket, and pulled out a silver chain.

There was a spark of understanding in the Hulk's eyes, as he let Tony approach him and reach a hand into one of the pockets of the torn pants. Tense strong muscle flexed through the warn material as he fished out the smaller gold ring. Putting the chain through it, he commented, "Would you care to test it? I got the biggest size they had."

The other guy just stood there a moment. Transfixed on the ring as it turned slightly, glinting its golden hue onto his own earthy green flesh.

"We never did get your consent did we?" Tony asked, breaking the daze and silence. Hulk looked at the smaller determined man who stood before him. "You're just as much a part of this as either Bruce or I are. And considering your extra two or three feet I'd say even more so. But... you should know, before you caught me, saving me from certain and a very unpleasant demise, without question or reason, I knew you weren't as others had made you out to be. Not a monster. Not a freak. You're just as capable of love as Bruce, or anyone else for that matter, is. You're a part of us. That is, if you'll have me. Since you're kinda already stuck with Brucie." Tony ran the chain through his hand and stopped at the ring. Holding it up so the big guy could see.

Hulk did like this man. A lot. In ways that surely no average human could understand. That sense of trust and understanding that he never felt from any other being, he felt in Tony. He knew life as destroying and being on the run, and he didn't like it. At least the running part. The most peace he and his alter-ego ever got was from Bruce's feelings. And he never felt more at peace than when Bruce was with this man. And if this small piece of metal that the metal man held up meant he could always feel that...

Tony was a bit startled and backed up as the Hulk suddenly moved to sit. With a gentle 'thud' he was on the floor, and Tony was now eye level to the green giant. He just gazed in amazement at first into those bright green eyes, but that didn't last long as Hulk broke contact first and lowered his head to stare motionless at his lap. It took Tony a few seconds, but then he knew to move. Putting an end of the chain he still held in each hand, he brought it up around the massive neck and closed it.

Holding his breath at first, the genius billionaire watched a moment while the Hulk looked for the small shiny ring again, but it couldn't be seen under his large head as the chain even left little room for him to breathe. But he seemed content with it, as he exhaled deeply and shook his head from the strange feel of something around his neck. The ring jingled a bit from the movement and he looked at Tony upon hearing it. Then deciding he liked it, he gave a small smile.

Tony returned with a grin of his own then decided he couldn't hold in his feelings anymore. Embracing the big green guy, he whispered, "Welcome to the family."

When Bruce regained himself, he was in Tony's arms. "This is new." He said a bit groggily as if he'd woken from a deep sleep.

"But you like it." Tony said without a hint of question.

Bruce smiled and closed his eyes. "I do."

"Remember that phrase."

Suddenly feeling the way he did before Hulking out, Bruce decided to get his thoughts about their rings off his chest. But before he got a word out, he felt something around his neck and on his chest. He pulled back from Tony and brought a hand to his neck to find his ring at the end of a chain. Easily confirmed by holding it up to his face as his neck didn't eat up as much chain as his alter-ego's did.

"Tony... I-"

"Yea I had a busy day while you remodeled." He looked around at the holes in the floor and broken objects and wall on the floor surrounding them. "But it was worth it." He added before Bruce could feel guilty. He just looked at him confused instead. _'God what an adorable expression on him.'_ He ran a hand through Bruce's wavy brown hair. "I got the big guy's blessing. He's really a part of us now."

Bruce only had to look at the ring resting against his own fluffy chest when following Tony's gaze to understand. How else would he have gotten this on him. He looked back into his love's brown eyes. "You're crazy you know that?" He placed a hand on the ring he had given Tony that hung around his neck and rested against the arc reactor. The gentle blue-ish glow shone through his fingers and felt warm from Tony's body heat, and it made Bruce smile.

Covering Bruce's hand with his and pulling him close, Tony only replied, "Only about you."

Bruce couldn't help but grin wider at Tony's sweat talk, but it bothered him, "Why didn't I think of that..." Bruce felt ashamed. One of the most brilliant minds of their time, and he didn't think of alternate ways to wear his ring. Something as simple as a necklace. "Well even if I did. I couldn't really afford such a chain." He thought a loud, running the silver strand of metal through his fingers. Since he's been on the run from Ross, he hadn't been able to keep much of anything. Let alone money. He was lucky to have had the clothes on his back at the time.

"But I can." Tony said. "And since I can, so can you. Since we're 'we' now and just not you and I." He placed a hand on the side of Bruce's face and guided his now brown again eyes up to his own. "Do you understand?"

Tony gave a reassuring smile that made Bruce melt. He couldn't keep his gaze and smiled back as he glanced down to hide his face that was now turning red. "Why must you talk like that?" He asked in jest.

"Because I love you. And I know you love me too."

"No one loves you more than yourself, Tony." Bruce replied looking back up with a glimmer of humor in his face and tone.

"Care to test it?" Tony challenged.

"Any time." And he won with a kiss.

Feel free to tell me what you think. 8]


End file.
